The present invention relates to a plug assembly for use in a breech-loaded firearm to convert the breech-loaded firearm to a muzzle-loaded firearm.
Muzzle-loaded firearms have increased in popularity over the past few years as a result of additional hunting seasons dedicated to muzzle-loaded firearms. Consequently, several gun manufacturers now carry their own line of muzzle-loaded firearms, however, muzzle-loaded firearms are expensive and difficult to maintain.
As a result of the high capital expenditure required to add a muzzle-loaded firearm to one""s firearm collection, there is a need to develop a product that eliminates the need to purchase a separate muzzle-loaded firearm to utilize during muzzle-loaded firearm seasons. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,468 to Chapin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,249 to Brown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,677 to Verney Carron, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,053 to Oakley, all suggest placing a cylindrical plug in a barrel of a breech-loaded firearm to convert the breech-loaded firearm to a muzzle-loaded firearm. In this manner, a hunter that already has a breech-loaded firearm, such as a shotgun, can convert the shotgun to a muzzle-loaded firearm without having to purchase a separate and distinct muzzle-loaded firearm. The cylindrical plug is placed in the breech of the shotgun thereby converting the shotgun to a muzzle-loaded firearm.
The ""468 patent to Chapin discloses a cylindrical plug defining a primer-receiving chamber at one end of the cylindrical plug, a powder charge chamber at the other end of the cylindrical plug and a third bore between the two chambers. The cylindrical plug is slidably fit into a breech of a firearm and includes a flange at one end to limit movement in the breech. A percussion type primer cap is placed in the primer-receiving chamber and black powder is placed in the powder charge chamber. A firing mechanism of the breech loaded firearm strikes the percussion type primer cap creating a flash that ignites the black powder through the third bore. Ignition of the black powder creates an explosion that propels a projectile disposed adjacent to the powder charge chamber of the cylindrical plug. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism associated with the cylindrical plug to remove the cylindrical plug from the breech. Hence, when the plug needs to be removed and cleaned or the breech needs to be cleaned, there is no formal manner in which the cylindrical plug can be removed.
Many muzzle-loaded firearms include removable plug assemblies to facilitate cleaning of the muzzle-loaded firearm. A typical muzzle-loaded firearm plug assembly, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,143 to Knight, includes a powder chamber and an ignition chamber as discussed in the aforementioned prior art. The plug assembly of U.S. Patent ""143 to Knight, however, includes threads on its outer surface to threadably engage a barrel of the muzzle-loaded firearm. The plug assembly can be threaded and unthreaded from the barrel using a screwdriver like tool that engages a groove defined in the plug assembly. However, the plug assembly of the ""143 patent to Knight cannot be used to convert a breech-loaded firearm to a muzzle-loaded firearm. The plug assembly of the ""143 patent includes threads on the outer surface to engage a threaded barrel of the muzzle-loaded firearm. However, breech-loaded firearms do not include threads in the barrel to receive the plug assembly of the ""143 patent. As a result, if the plug assembly of the ""143 patent were used to convert the breech-loaded firearm to the muzzle-loaded firearm, many problems would occur. Specifically, there would not be an adequate seal between the plug assembly and the barrel resulting in severe blow-back during ignition that may harm a user. Furthermore, the plug assembly of the ""143 patent does not include a flange to limit movement of the plug assembly in the breech of the breech-loaded firearm. Hence, the plug assembly of the ""143 patent would likely slide out of an end of a barrel of the breech-loaded firearm.
The prior art patents do not disclose a plug assembly for converting a breech-loaded firearm to a muzzle-loaded firearm that includes a feature for facilitating removal of the plug assembly from the breech-loaded firearm after use. Therefore, a long-felt need exists to devise a feature of the plug assembly that would allow an operator to easily remove the plug from the breech-loaded firearm.
The present invention provides a plug assembly for inserting in a breech of a breech-loaded firearm to convert the breech-loaded firearm to a muzzle-loaded firearm. The plug assembly includes a plug body slidable in the breech having a first end and a second end. The plug body defines a powder chamber adjacent the first end, an ignition counterbore in firing communication with the powder chamber, and an access counterbore adjacent the second end of the plug. In addition, the plug body includes a mechanical interlocking device in the access counterbore to facilitate removal of the plug body from the breech of the breech-loaded firearm.
The present invention provides several advantages over the prior art including the use of the mechanical interlocking device in the access counterbore to facilitate removal of the plug body from the breech of the breech-loaded firearm. Easy removal of the plug body is critical to a hunter that has limited time when hunting. The mechanical interlocking device allows the hunter to easily remove the plug body from the breech of the breech-loaded firearm to clean the breech, change percussion nipples, quickly disarm the breech-loaded firearm, and so on.